Premier League Gameweek 1

The point was that before Bayern's current dominance, the Bundesliga wasn't any more one-sided than, say, the Premier League in its first 20 years. Manchester United won 13 out of the first 20 PL seasons - do you consider the first 20 years of the Premier League "uncompetitive"? It was, even then, marketed as the most exciting league in the world yet it was actually less competitive than any of the big ones.

Bayern were always the biggest, most successful club of the Bundesliga, that's true. But the league itself used to be a lot more competitive than it is now. Even as recently as the decade between 2000-2010 saw the likes of Dortmund, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, and Wolfsburg all win league titles while both Schalke and Leverkusen came incredibly close (as in, "they bottled it on the final day" close). Hell, in 1998, a fecking newly promoted team won the league!

Pretending that it was always Bayern dominating without any competition is dishonest in the extreme.

Sorry, you spent three paragraphs to basically offer zero evidence to dispute my statement.

Half of all titles have been won by one team.

Also, I do consider the 90s and 2000s uncompetitive because I'm not insecure about my league.
 
Let’s see Arsenal with a convincing win and their fans getting carried away again.
 
Aina will be great for you if he can remain fit. Was a really top prospect for Chelsea and one that I sad to see go.
He’s been brilliant in pre-season. I can’t believe we got him on a free.
 
Havertz signing makes way more sense if this is the formation Arsenal plan to use going forward. Didn't understand the move at all if the plan was to continue with 4-2-3-1.

Surprised Awoniyi isn't starting for Forest. Guess they're relying on Johnson's pace on the counter attack.
 
Who is missing for Arsenal? Their bench is a joke.
 
Genuinely forgot Jorgino plays for Arsenal.

Think their bench is strong enough. Trossard is arguably a starter.
 
Havertz signing makes way more sense if this is the formation Arsenal plan to use going forward. Didn't understand the move at all if the plan was to continue with 4-2-3-1.

Surprised Awoniyi isn't starting for Forest. Guess they're relying on Johnson's pace on the counter attack.
He turned an ankle in preseason and isn’t quite ready to start.
 
Why has the start of game been delayed?
Arsenal trying to be clever with a new e-ticket turnstile technology which isn’t working. Still 35,000 people waiting outside. K.O delayed until 1pm at the earliest….
 
Electronic tickets are terrible for match going fans. Getting onto grounds takes forever nowadays. Leads to potential unrest.

Get paper tickets back
 
As in positions? Surely Partey isn't at right back and it could be the app system of 3 cb and 2 cm?
Otherwise why didn't they just keep White right back and Gabriel at centre back?

Yes, by position. SofaScore also puts Partey at right-back. Apparently Arteta is experimenting. Or something.
 
Havertz signing makes way more sense if this is the formation Arsenal plan to use going forward. Didn't understand the move at all if the plan was to continue with 4-2-3-1.

Surprised Awoniyi isn't starting for Forest. Guess they're relying on Johnson's pace on the counter attack.

Think it's the same basic 4-3-3 formation they always play, just with Partey as the nominal RB. One of their fullbacks inverts into midfield anyway so against a team they're going to dominate as much as Forest it may as well be an actual midfielder.
 
Do they not have a way of checking it on the day to make sure it is working?
You'd have thought they'd have a backup plan to cater for something like this, but apparently not.

Someone's made a major balls up.

First match of the season like, did they not have any preseason friendlies that they could have used to iron out any issues?
 
Let’s see Arsenal with a convincing win and their fans getting carried away again.
Yes, yes let's make sure no fans celebrate or get excited over anything. Celebration police and carried away police are definitely required. Down with the joy.
 
No chance of this kicking off at 1pm even I'd imagine, 25 mins to fix the problem and get 35,000 in, yeah, that's not likely.
 
So Arsenal rolling with a 3-2-2-3 I'm assuming and not playing Partey at the back.

-----White Saliba Timber-------
------------Rice Partey--------------
Saka-----------------------Martinelli
--------Odegaard Havertz---------
----------------Nketiah------------------

... something like that?

I think so. Very attacking lineup, but a formation that allows a lot of interchangeability.

can see the likes of rice dropping back and even partey if need be.

Havertz most likely occupies that second striker position, his tracking is possibly the worst out of this XI so can see him stationed up top more often.
 
Turner
Aurier - Worrell - Boly - McKenna - Aina
Yates - Danilo - Mangala
Johnson - MGW

It’s our world renown 1-5-5 away formation.
Does Cooper still set up for 20% possession away from home? You're going to struggle if so, and risk Danilo, Gibbs-White etc. getting fed up.

And you're still playing two championship CBs? That's brave.
 
You'd have thought they'd have a backup plan to cater for something like this, but apparently not.

Someone's made a major balls up.

First match of the season like, did they not have any preseason friendlies that they could have used to iron out any issues?
That's an elite club for you.
 
35k fans still outside. Can't see it starting at 1pm.
 
The criticism of United for "considering" reintegrating a player arrested and technically "cleared" for sexual offences while Arsenal enter their second season of wilfully playing someone on bail and under investigation for being a serial rapist.

For what it's worth, I don't think we should reintegrate our player but the media silence and double standards are deafening.
 
This is a pisstake really. They are putting the needs of the paying, matching-going fans over me, who is waiting to watch this on a second screen via an illegal stream.

Utter bulltshit.
 
The blackout rule is 2.45pm to 5.15pm.

TNT sports wont be able to show the end of the game?